Temperature-responsive device



Nov. 2 1926.

W. W. WEIR TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE DEVICE Original Filed Deo. 20. '1923 /N VEN 7' o e W/Y//am W Weir:

Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

` UNITED STATES V\/'I-1l'.iI iI.A.1VI W. WEIR, OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

TEMPERATURE-RESPONSIVE DEVICE.

Application filed December 20, 1923, Serial No. 681,795.

This invention relates to a device that may be used for indicating temperature or of performing a controlling function in response to temperature variations, and more e particularly to such a device adapted to be used in connection with electrically operated ranges. y

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a temperature responsive device that it will accurately follow the temperature variations occurring in an enclosed space, such as in an oven of a range.

Another object of my invention is'to simplify the construction of such temperature l responsive devices.

Still another object of my invention is to make it possible to mount the device on the side of the oven structure in a very simple manner, and so that it maybe maintained w always `in proper position, although in a sheltered place, for responding to the temperature variations.

v My invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing, will be set-forth at length in the following description, where 'I shall outline in full that form ofthe invention which Ihave selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. Although I have shown in the drawings but one embodiment of my invention. I do not desire to be limitedV thereto, since the invention as expressed in the claims may be embodied in other forms also.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a face view of a thermometer built in accordance with my invention, a

part of the cover being shown as broken away, in order to expose the operating parts;

and f Fig. 2 is a view, mainly in section, illustrating the application of the deviceto aA .end 16 1s not affected by the direct rays of heated oven.

In Fig. 2 I show a double-walled oven structure, including the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 1Q, between which a heatinsulating filling 13 may be placed. Another wall 14: is shown, which is sometimes provided as a vitreous enamelled plate, for imenough of the oven walls is shown to illus- ,trate how the thermometer cooperates therewith. The innerwall 11 isshown as corru-. gated for the purpose lof providing a sup-A Vplate 14., and'covers an aperture insaid plate.4 11A -se.at;2lffsfformed eathsgsupport,

' port for the usual removable racks.'A

That portionofniydevicewhich di-;

parting a pleasing exterior to the oven. Only Renewed March 22, 1926.

rectly subjected to the heat of the oven includes a surface of container 15; in this container there is either a gas or a liquid that has a tendency to expand upon the application of heat. I have found that nitrogen gas is well adaptedrfor this purpose, and may be used to exert a considerable gas pressure at operating temperatures. ()ne of the fea'- tures of my invention resides in themanner in which this container 15 is mounted on the oven. For this purpose it is providedwith a tapered cover 16 which is permanently fastened to the container 15 and Vformsv its top surface or inner end. This cover is wedged into a .cooperating tapered hole 17 which is defined in the inner wall 11, by the aid of a washer or collar 18. The innery wall, being formed of thin sheet metal, may readily be used to hold this collar 18 in place, by upsetting the sheet metal and causing it to extend through the aperture in the collar 18,

,as clearly indicated in Fig. 2L

' It is to b e noted that the container 15 does not appreclably extend intothe oven.V It is subjected to the heat within the oven partly .by the exposure of its cover 16, but mainly by heat conduction from the inner wall 11 to the cover, which conduction occurs around model of operation of the thermal responsive Yelement ensures against breakage, which might occur if it were projected so as to extend a materialdistance into the oven. Furthermore, more space is left in the oven, and yet thecontainer 15 responds accurately to the oven heat, since there is a large area of intimate contact between it and thewall 11. The thermometer responds accurately to the mean oven temperature, which is highly important, so that it may serve as an accurate guide to the house-wife. This is produced by the fact that the exposed'surface Vof the the heating elements located at the top and bottom of the oven; and that the heat affect- In order to ensure a sufficiently intimate contact between 'these two parts, I provide I appropriate fastening means for the containerv 15, whereby it may be urged strongly toward the aperture 17, and wedged therein. ForV this pur-pose asupport or standard 19is used,- which Ais fastened as by screws '2O tothe YS of on which the container Arests. `Several. screws 22 or other fastening means pass through flange 23 appropriately formed on the back of the support 19 and engage threaded apertures in the collar 18. The flange 23 passes through an aperture formed in the outer plate 12. By tightening up on screws 22, the sensitive element 15 is properly positioned and tightened between the shoulders of aperture 17 and the seat 21.

The gas chamber in container 15 is in communication with a pipe 24 that serves to conductlthe pressure lof the gas to the indicating or controlling elements. Thus the support19 may be provided with a projection 25 extend'ng through the support and having an.' aperture 26into which the pipe ,24 fastens'., The other sideof this aperture communiates with one. end ofthe Bourdon tube 2 7..- .Asis Well .understoe'fyllflh tubes. alter their shape upon variation in liquid'V` or gas pressure 'within them, and this alteration is made yuse of .to operate an indicator or to produce va Acontrolling act. In the present instance a pointer ,28' (Fig. 1)V is mechanically connected to the free end of the tube 27. VOne example of such amechanical .connection will now be described. The pointer 28 is pivoted for free rotation upon a shaft 29 which is'supported between two spacedy Vplates 30 and 31. VAttached to the pointer and also freely7 rotatable on the shaft 29, is a `pinion 32 with whichmeshes a segment 33. This segment has an arm 34, one end of which is connected as bv link v35 to the yfree rend of the tube 27. The segment 33 may rotate about a pivot pin 36 fastened to the top plate 31 and playing in a groove 37 in the arm 34. From this description, it is seen that for instance an increase 1n pressure will lcause the tube 27 to pull on link 35 upwardly, whichlink. in turn will rotate segment 33 in a counterclockwise direction; pinion 32 and pointer 28 will correspondingly move in a clockwise direction. A decrease in pressure will produce opposite results.

The pointer 28 has a bent over end 38 l which cooperates with an appropriately supported bandscale 39. A cover 40V is provided, having a flange by which it may be fastened to the wall 14 by the screws 20.

.Asight glass 41 is `fastened intothe edge of the cover 40 so as to permit the reading Y 'of the indications. The cover 40 extends over the exposed sideor' the support 19, and is of'v substantially the same size as `this support. l The operation of romthe fore-going. ,"Due to ther-use of a a red aperture, affirm contactis estabbetween the container :15 andthe :walls he loven; and the, container isrligidly secured in pjlace.y Jv-he temperature 'response r is' iii-ndi more emirats isV accompfshedby heat-'@nduetien,

thenfby summing the device Vis, apparent f the 'devicexmerely to theheat of the air inside of the oven. Furthermore, there is no loss of space as would be the case if the device projectedintothe oven.

I claim:

1. In atemperature responsive device, a wall of a heated space, said wall having a tapered aperture therein, a container having a fluid in .which variations in pressure oc- .cur in response to temperature variations, said ,container having a tapered portion adapted to fit in the tapered aperture, means for holding said container firmly in the aperture, a movable member, and means for moving said member in response to variations in pressure inv said container.

2. In a temperature responsive device, a wall ofI a heated space, said wall having a tapered aperture, a 'container having a fluid in which variations 'in pressure occur in response to temperature'variations, said containe-rr` having a rigid,`tapered vend adapted to fit-into without passing throughv the tapered aperture, means for holding the vend of said container firmly injsaid aperture, a movable member, andmeans for moving said member in response to variations in pressure in said container.

3. In a temperature responsive device, a double walled structure defining va heated space, said structure having an aperture in theinnerwa'll, a container having Va fluid in which variations in pressure occur in response to temperature variations, means located substantially entirely between the dou- `blewalls for firmly holding said container in said aperture in such-a manner that substantially. no portion Vor the container eX tends beyond the inner wall into the heated space, a movable member, land means for moving said'member in response to pressure variations'in vthe container.

4. Ina temperature responsive device, a double walled structure defining a heated space', `the inner wall having an aperture, a container having a fluid in which variations in pressure occur in response to temperature variations, and adapted to yexpose one of its surfaces throughy said aperture, a movable member, means for moving said member in response to vpressure variations in the container, yand means for rigidly holding said container in plaoe, comprising a support havinga seat for the container and adapted to lbeheld on the outer wall between the same and 'said inner wall, and fastening means between fthe support and 'the inner wall whereby a shoulder 'formed on the conp -tainer is urged against'the inner wall.

lflu-id' .in `which variations` `in pnessure occur in respense `to temperatura-variations, and threugh said aperture, a collar defining the aperture in such a way that it is tapered inwardly toward the heated space, said container having a shoulder arranged to t into the aperture, a movable member, means for moving said member n response to pressure varatons in 'the container, and means for rmly tainer, and fastening means between the 10 support and the aperture defining Collar.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM W. vVVEIIW. 

